Welcome to our Music homepage and thanks for your interest in music at GHC!

We are very excited about the growth of our music program, and especially our two new music degrees. Beginning in the fall of 2014, GHC will offer courses leading to associate of arts degrees in music and in music business.

The Associate of Arts in Music degree includes 42 hours of academic core courses and 18 hours of music courses in theory, ear training, applied lessons, and ensemble participation. GHC offers applied lessons is a wide variety of instruments, voice, and composition. GHC also offers concert band and jazz/pep band for instrumentalists, and concert choir for vocalists. The AA-Music degree is especially designed for those who plan to transfer to a 4-year school to complete a bachelor degree in music education leading to a career as a music teacher.

The Associate of Arts in Music Business degree is similar to the above, with 42 hours of core courses, 12 hours of music courses, and 6 hours of business courses. The AA-Music Business degree will help prepare students for careers in arts administration, music production, private music teaching, music retail, and other music and arts related vocations.
The GHC music program is designed with three types of students in mind:
• Students who want to earn a 4-year music degree but need to stay close to Floyd and Bartow Counties
• Students who want to earn a 4-year music degree but need to begin music study in a nurturing (and less expensive!) environment before auditioning for a larger school
• Students who do not plan to pursue a music degree, but want to develop their musical skills for lifelong enrichment

Of course, all GHC students are welcome to take music courses and participate in ensembles whether or not they intend to pursue a music degree.

For more information:

Music courses:

Music Theory I-IV, 3 hours each. The courses in music theory explore the question, “How does music work?” Students learn to identify keys, scales, intervals, triads, chords, chord progressions, and are introduced to musical forms and compositional techniques. Three semesters are required for the AA-Music degree and two semesters are required for the AA-Music Business degree. There is no prerequisite for Music Theory I.

Aural Skills I-IV, 1 hour each. These courses (sometimes called Ear Training) help students improve skills in sight reading, sight singing, music recognition by listening, and music dictation. One semester of Aural Skills is required for both AA music degrees. There is no prerequisite for Aural Skills I.

Applied Lessons, 1-2 hours each semester. Private instruction is offered on all woodwind and brass instruments, percussion, piano, voice, and composition. An applied lesson fee is charged to help offset the cost of one-on-one instruction.

Music Fundamentals, 3 hours, is ‘Music Theory Lite.’ It’s a course primarily for non-music majors who are interested in exploring music for personal enrichment. The course includes introductions to music reading and song writing.

Music Appreciation, 3 hours, is a course that explores the history of western classical music and also provides an introduction to jazz, Broadway, and other musical styles. It is available as a traditional classroom course on all campuses and also in DVD format. For more information about the DVD course, please contact Robert Adams at radams@highlands.edu.